Typewriting machine



May 1, 1923.

F. H. ARMSTRONG TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. 27 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5410 1 "may May 1,;1923.

F. H. ARMSTRONG TYPEWRITING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet} 2 Filed Dec. 27 1918 Patented May 1, 1923.

UNHED ST res 1,453,581 PATENT OFFlCE.

FRANK HURIBERT ARMSTRONG, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CORONA TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, INC., OF GROTON, NEW YORK,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

Application filed December 27, 1918. Serial No. 268,578.

To all whom it may concern:

B'e'it known that I, FRANK H. ARM- STRONG, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Auburn, county of Cayuga, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typewriting Machines, of which the following is a full and clear specification.

This invention has relation to that type of paper-feeding means broadly covered in my copending application Serial N 0. 256,195, filed September 30, 1918.

.In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved device, illustrating one set of tandem feed rolls;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view, partly in horizontal section, of a complete apparatus detached from the typewriting machine;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing my apparatus applied to a carriage;

Fig. 4 is a similar.view showing the rear feed-rolls pressed away from the platen:

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view, partly in section, showing a modified form of my apparatus Fig. 6"- is a transverse sectional View of the device shown in Fig. 5, this view differing from F ig. 4 in that both the front and rear feed-rolls are illustrated in their off position;

Figs. 7 to 14 inclusive are detail views hereinafter fully described.

Referring to the drawings by referencecharacters, 15 is a platen carriage in whose end-flanges 16 the platen 17 is jou'rnaled, the shaft of this roll being designated as 17. parallel to the platen-roll, at the rear there- ,of,'is a rock-shaft 18 entirely constructed of sheet-metal and provided at each end with a depending ear 19 which receives the journal screws 20 tapped through the endflanges 16. The rear edge of this plate-like rock-shaft 18 is bent downwardly to form a depending flange 21 extending the full length of the shaft, and projecting forwardly from the top flat plate of the rockshaft is a series of fingers 22, each of whose forward ends is bent downwardly and upwardly to form adepending hook 23 whose upper side is open. At one end of the rock shaft it is provided with an integral forwardly-extending arm 27 normally held in Journaled in theflanges 16 and lying its up position by means of a suitable spring (not shown), and cooperating with this arm 27 is a lever 24 pivotally mounted on the shaft 17 of the platen and provided with a cam-like head having two locking faces 25 and 26, whereby the rock-shaft 18 may be locked in its normal position by lockingedge 25, as shown in wardly-tilted position by means of the camedge 26, as more fully set forth in my aforesaid eopending application. I

The hooks 23 receive the rear feed-rollshafts 31, one of these shafts being being provided at each side of the longitudinal center of the platen and each shaft being desirably provided with two separated feedrolls 29. Two feed-rolls 29 somewhat smaller in diameter are mounted on each of the front feed-roll-sh-afts 30, each pair of these front feed-rolls being separated by a central sleeve 32 journaled loosely on the shaft. Each naled in upstanding ears 23 formed inte grally on the forward ends of bars 34 which extend transversely of the carriage 15, and

also formed on the forward end of each of these bars is an upstanding integral shaftstop 37. These two pairs of shaft-supporting bars 34 are attached to the depending flange 21 on the rock-shaft so as to have a limited universal motion with respect to the rock-shaft, the preferred manner of making this-connection being hereinafter described. Each of these end-bars 34 extends rear wardly under one of the hooks 23.

The rear'shafts 31 are held in the hooks 23 by integral fingers 35 which extend forwardly from the rock-shaft and serve to form virtually a closure for the upper open throats of the hooks 23, thereby preventing the shafts being dislodged from the hooks. Additional inte al'fingers 36 are formed on the rock-sha t 18 and extend far enough forwardly to have their forward ends in alinement with the rear shaft 31, so as to thereby form stops to limit undue endwise play of these shafts 31.

Each set of tandem feed rolls is pressed upwardly so as to maintain normal contact between the feed-rolls and the platen by the following means: The rear feed-roll-shaft and the front feed-roll-shaft of each set are connected midway their ends by a pressuredistributing bar 38, this bar being arranged to have its forward end bear upwardly on Fig. 3, or in its forw front feed-roll-shaft is jour- .upstanding integral ears carriage,

the sleeve 32 and its rear end bear upwardly against the rear shaft 31, its rear end being connected to said rear shaft'31 by a pair of apart sutliciently to properly space the rear rolls 29. Pressing upwardly upon the under side of each equalizing bar 38, about midway the ends thereof, is the upwardly-bent portion 40 of one of the two independently sprin pressed-levers 41. Each lever 41 is pivotally connected at its forward end to the base plate of the platen carriage to swing about an axis extending longitudinally of the said levers extending rearwardly transversely of the carriage beyond the rear feed roll shafts 31. The rear ends of .the levers are pulled upwardly by independent coiled springs 42 adapted to be tensioned by screws 43 which connect the upper ends of the springs to brackets 44 mounted on the platen carriage between the rear feed roll shafts 31 and the rock shaft 18. As a simple way of adjusting the tension of eachspring 42, I may, as shown, have the screw 43 threaded into the coils of the spring, so that threading of the bracket 44 is avoided. As a simple and inexpensive way of pivotally connecting levers 41. to the carriage topplate, I may provide the forward end of each lever with a pair of depending lugs 45 and have them extend through a pair of openings formed in the top-plate, the openings being slightly larger than the lugs, so as to allow a limited pivotal movement of the lever; in this way, a simple and durable connection between each lever 41 and the top-plate is provided for without the use of pivots or other parts requiring machine work for proper finishing.

It will be observed-that upward pressure on the humps 40 wilhthrough the medium of the two equalizing bars 38, keep both sets of feed-rolls normally pressed against the platen. Each feed-roll-shaft, however, will be capable of independent yielding away from the platen, i. e., may yield away from the platen without affecting the holding ability of the other pairs of rolls, thereby enabling the feed-rolls to readily adjust themselves automatically for wide variations in thicknesses of work and irregularities in the platen surface. When it is desired to release the feed-rolls from the platen, it is simply necessary to operate the lever 24 to thereby forwardly tilt or rock the rock-shaft 18. During the initial rocking movement ofthe rock-shaft 18, the fingers 35 will force both of the rear shafts 31 downwardly, and thus take the rear rolls 29 away from the platen, this action serving to slightly distend the retractile' spring-s 42. 7 During this initial movement, the front rolls are held against the platen, as shown in Fi g. 4. The continued rocking of the shaft '18, however, brings the lower rounded ends of the four hooks 39 which are spread;

23 down into contact with the rear ends of the four bars- 34, as shown in said Fig. 4, and as the rock-shaft continues its rotation the forward ends of the bars 34, carrying the two front feed-roll-shafts, will be pried or swung away from the platen, as shownin Fig. 6, this latter movement serving, of course, springs 42. The parts are locked in this off position by means of the locking-edge 26 of the release lever 24. It will be observed, therefore, that the bars 34 in which the shafts of the front feed-rolls are mounted are connected to the rock-shaft with a sort of knuckle or rule joint, in that the rockshaft is permitted an initial rotative movement sufficient to take the rear rolls away from the platen before it is locked to the bars and begins to pry the forward ends of the'bars away from the platen. In this broad respect, my present construction closely resembles the form of device I have described and claimed in my aforesaid copending application.

The manner of connecting the bars 34 to the depending flange of the rock-shaft may be greatly varied without departing from my invention, but I prefer to make these connections in the manner illustrated, namely, by providing the rock-shaft with a pair of slots-46 for each end-bar and the rear ends of the end-bars with notched lugs 47, which, -when passed backwardly through said slots and shifted laterally. interlock with the rock-shaft flange, these lugs being held in their locking position by means of an integral finger 48 formed on the end-bar and extending through one of the slots and bent laterally so as to bear slightly against the end of the slot opposite the end engaged by the adjacent hook 47, In this simplo manner, the end-bar islocked to the rockshaft without the employment of pivots or other parts-that require machining for proper'fit and operation. It will be understood that in' making this connection,-t he lugs 47 and the rear end of the finger 48 are first inserted backwardly through the slots 46 and then the finger 48 is bent laterallyfar enough to causedan interlocking of the hooks47 with the ends of the slots. The hooks 47 and their notches have a slight looseness of fit, so as to permit the end-bars to have a limited universal movement with respect to the rock-shaft, to thereby not only permit the end-bars34 to have an up-andclown pivotal movement with respect to the to still further tension the actuating rock-shaft, but also to permit them to have a slight lateral movement, to thereby permit the front feed-rolls to accurately and nicely'adjust themselves to the platen and the work-sheets without binding or strain instead of rounded, as in the other widen therea'r end of each of the end-bars by providing each with a lateral extension bar 49, one of the lugs47 being arranged at the extremity of this extension.

In Fig. 7, the hump 40 is shown V-shaped figures; and infthis figure I also show a modified arrangement for pivotally connecting the lever to the top-plate of the carriage, this connection consisting in cutting out and bending upwardly from the top-plate a pair of lugs 50 and ,in providing the lever. with.

a bearing lip or flange 51 adapted to rest upon the top-plate, the 'ends' of this flange 51 being notched to receive said lugs 5 0.v I In Fig. 8. I illustrate the process of connecting the bars 34 to the rock-shaft, while in Fig. 9 I show a modified form of the connectionbetwee'n the bars'34 and the rockshaft, this modification consisting in doing away with the bendable finger .48 and employing a locking-screw 52 tapped through the flange 21' and having its extremity enter a lock-notch in the lateral bar-like extension49.

In Figs. 10, 11 and 12, I show a modified arrangement of the bendable lug 48, thismodification consisting in forming finger 48 on the extension bar 49 and bending it downwardly and rearwardly and upwardly to cause it to engage in a notch 53 formed in the lower edge of the flange 21. In Fig. 13, I show the shaft-stop-lug 37 formed in a slightly different manner.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I illustrate a modified arrangement for connecting the rear feed roll shifts to the rock-shaft 18. In accordance with this modlned arrangement, employ a pair of forwardly-extending arms 54 for each rear feed-roll shaft and connect them to the flange 21 of the rock-shaft in the same manner as employed for connectingthe-ba'rs 34 to the rock-shaft; that is, so that they will have a limited up-anddown pivotal play and a very slight lateral play with respect to the rock-shaft. Each rear feed-rollshaft is journaled in upstanding lugs 55 formed on the forward ends of these arms 54, and suitable shaft-stop lugs 56 are formed on the arms to prevent undue endwise play of said rear feed-roll-shafts. The front edge of the rock-shaft is provided with fingers 57 extending forwardly and downwardly so as to make contact with the top side of the arms 54 so as to swing the rear feed-rolls away from the platen when the rock-shaftlS-is tilted forwardly. At a suitable point in the rocking of the rockshaft. the forward ends of the arms 54 make contact with the end-bars 34 and upon con- ;tinued rotation of the rock-shaft, these endbars are brought'downwardly at their forward ends to take the front feed-rolls away from the platen, the successive withdrawal of the rolls from the platen and the knuckleshaft j ourna-lled on roll joint action between the end-bars 34 and the rock-shaft being, therefore, substantially the same as with the structure illustrated in the other figures.

In Fig. 14 Ihave shown a slightly different way of forming the shaft stops 56 and arms 54. 4

The nature and scope of the invention having beenthus indicated and its preferred embodiment having been specifically described,- what is claimed as new is:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a platen rotatably mounted on the carriage, a cast-off rockshaft journalled onv the carriage, tandem feed-roll shafts, the shafts, means rigid with the rack shaft for supporting one feed rollshaft and having a lost-motion connection with said feed roll shaft permitting independent movement of the feed-roll shaft toward and from the platen, means pivoted directly to they rock shaft to swing toward and when the rock-shaft is stationary for supporting the other feed-roll shaft, and means engaging the feed-roll shafts between the spaced rolls thereon for pressing the feedroll shafts toward the platen.

2. In a typewriting machine the combination of a platen carriage, a platen rotatably mounted on the carriage, a cast-ofi' rockfeed-roll shafts, feed rolls on the shafts, means rigid with the 'rock shaft for support ing one feed roll shaft and having a lostmotion connection with said feed roll shaft permitting independent movement of the feed-roll shaft toward and from the platen, means pivoted directly to the rock shaft to swing toward and from the platen when the rock-shaft isstationaryfor supporting the other feed-roll shaft. said pivotally held feed-roll shaft supporting means being located in the path of. the other feed-roll shaft" supporting means and normally spaced therefrom. and means for yieldably pressing the feed-roll shafts toward the platen. I

3. In a typewriting machine. the combination of a platen carriage, a platen rotatably mounted on the carriage. a cast-off rockshaft 'journalled on the. carriage. tandem feed-roll shafts, spaced feed rolls on each of' the shafts',-means rigid with the rock shaft for supporting one feed roll shaft and having a lost-motion connection with said feed shaft permitting independent movement of the feed-roll shaft toward and from the platen. meanspivoted directly to the rock shaft to swing toward and from the platen when the rock-shaft is stationary for sup-" porting the other feed-roll shaft, said pivotallv held feed-roll shaft supporting means be;

ing located in the path of the cast-ofl' move;

ment of the other feed-roll shaft supporting spaced feed rolls oneach offrom the platen the carriage, tandem.

of the cast-ofi movement ill - means and normally spaced therefrom, a

pressure-distributing member engaging both feed-roll shafts between the spaced rolls thereon, and means on the carriage yieldably pressing said member toward the platen. g

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a platen rotatably mounted on the carriage, a cast-off rock shaft journalled on the carriage, tandem feed-roll shafts, feed rolls on the shafts, means rigid with the rock shaft for supporting one feed'roll shaft and having a lostmotion connection with said feed roll shaft permitting independent movement of the feed-roll shaft toward and from the platen,

means pivoted directly to the rock shaft to swing toward and from the platen when the rock-shaftis stationary for supporting the other feed roll shaft, said pivotally held feed-roll shaft supporting means being. located in thespath of the castoff movement of the other feed-roll shaft supporting means and normally spaced therefrom, a pressuredistributing member engaging both feed-roll shafts, and spring-urged means on the caring one riage having a rocking engagement with said member substantially midway between the feed-roll shafts forpressing the shaftstoward the platen.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a platen rotatablv mounted on the carriage, tandem feed roll shafts, rolls on said shafts, a roll-releasingv rock shaft journalled on the carriage angular in cross-section, means integral with one .web ofsaid angular rock shaft for supportfeed-roll shaft, and means pivotally connected at one end with the other web of said angular rock shaftefor supporting the web of the rock saft for supporting the other feed-roll shaft and adapted to be swung away from the platen by said hooks after a predetermined initial cast-ofi movement of the rock shaft. and means for yieldably pressing the feed-roll shafts toward the platen.

7. In a typewriting machine. the combination of a platen carriage, a platen rotatablv mounted on the carriage.'t-andem feed roll shafts, feed rolls on said shafts, a rollreleasing rock shaft journalled on the carriage angularin cross section, depending up wardly facing hooks formed on one web of said rock shaft in which one feed-roll shaft is supported to move laterally toward and from the platen, means on the rock shaft engaging over the feed-roll shaft supported in said hooks, means pivotally held to the other web of the rock shaft for supporting the -other feed-roll shaft and adapted to be swung away from the platen by said hooks after a predetermined initial cast-off movement of the rock shaft, a rigid member engagmg both feed-roll shafts, and means on the carriage for exerting a yielding pressure toward the platen on said member substantially midway between the feed-roll shafts.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a platen rotatably mounted on the carriage, a cast-off rock shaft having a flat top web and a depending web, depending hooks formed integrally with the top, web of said rock shaft, a rear feed roll shaft supported in said hooks to slide laterally toward and from the platen, integral fingers formed on'the top web of'said rock shaft engaging over the rear feed roll shaft, a pair of. bars pivotally held attheir rear ends tothe depending web of the rock shaft, a front feed roll shaft supported by said bars, and means for yieldably pressing the feed roll shafts toward the platen, said bars being shiftable' by said hooks away from the platen;

9. In a typewritiriglmachine, the combination of a platen carriage, a platen rotatably mounted on the carriage, tandem feed rolls, a cast-off rock shaft journalled on the carriage having two angularl y disposed for supporting one feed roll webs, means from one web of said shaft to permit a limited movement of the roll toward and from the platen, and s pporting means for the other feed roll in erlocked with the other web of the rock shaft so as to permit a limited pivotal movement thereof.

10. In a typewritmg machine, the combina tion of a platen carriage, a platen rotatably' mounted on the carriage, tandem feed rolls, a cast-off rock shaft journalled on the carriage having two angularly disposed webs, means for supporting one feed roll from one web of said shaft to permit a limited movement of the roll toward and from the platen, and supporting means for the other feed roll interlocked with the other web of the rock shaft so as to permit a limited pivotal movement thereof, and means for pressing both feed roll shafts toward the platen. said last-mentioned feed-roll supporting means being shiftable away from the platen by the first-mentioned feed-roll supporting means during the final portion of the cast-off movement of the first mentioned supporting means.

11. In a paper feed mechanism for writing machines, the combination of a platen carriage, a sheet metal cast-off rock shaft ournalled on the carriage having a slotted bar-like portion. a feed roll, and bars supporting said roll having hooks engaging in the slots in the rock shaft. f

i 12. In a paper feed mechanism for writing machines, the combination of a platen carriage, a sheet metal 'cast-olfrock shaft ournalled on the carriage having a Slotted bar-like portion, a feed roll, bars supporting said roll having hooks engaging in said slots in the rock shaft, and a bendable finger ca r' ried by each bar interlocked with the rock shaft for holding the rocks in the slots.

13. In a paperfeed mechanism forwriting machines. the combination of a" platen carriage, a sheet metal cast-off rock shaft journalled on the cariage having a slotted barlike portion. a feed roll, and bars supporting said roll having hooks at one end engagmg in said slots inthe rock shaft for pivotally and slidably connecting the bars with the shaft, and means for holding the hooks in interlocked relation with the rock shaft.

14. In a means supporting said shafts adjacent their ends to move independently toward and from the platen, feed-rolls on each shaft at opposite sides of the middle of the shaft, a spring-urged member extending trans versely of the platen and supported to rock about an axis extending longitudinally of the platen, and a pressure-distributing member supported on said spring-urged member at a point intermediate the feed-roll shafts tov rock about an axis extending longitudinally of the platen, said pressure-distribtuting'member' engaging both shafts between the feed-rolls on the shafts.

15. In a paper feed mechanism, the combination of a platen, a pair of tandem feedroll shafts, spaced feed-rolls on each shaft, a bar engaging both shafts between the rolls thereon, a lever extending transversely of the platen and pivotally held at one .end to rock about an axis extending longitudinally of the platen, said lever having a portion thereof intermediate its ends bowed toward the'platen to form a fulcrum on which said bar is ockable iat either end toward and from t e platen", and a spring for rocking the free end of the lever 16. In a paper feed mechanism, the combination of a platen, tanden feedrroll shafts, means supporting the shafts adjacent their ends to move independently toward and from the platen, feed-rolls on each shaft at opposite sides of the. middle of the shaft, a lever extending transversely of the. platen and pivotally supported at one end to swing about an axis extending longitudinally of the platen, a spring for normally swinging the free end of the lever t ward the platen,

cast-off shaft, forwardly extending roc'k ofi' shaft, forwardly extending rock arms paper feed mechanism, the combination of a platen, tandem feed-rollshafts,fl

toward the platen,

means for varying the tension of the spring, and a pressure-distributing "member supported intermediate its ends on the lever to tilt at either end toward and from the platen and engaging the feed-roll shafts midway the ends of the shafts at opposite sides of its fulcrum.

, 17. In a paper feed mechanism, the combination of a platen, a manually rockable arms rigidly held to said shaft having vertically elongated shaft bearings therein, a rear feed-roll shaft supported in said shaft bearings, independent forwardly extending arms pivotally held directly to the cast-of'fshaft and located under and normally spaced from the rear roll shaft supporting arms, a front feed-roll shaft supported on the pivotally held arms, feed rolls on the feed roll shafts, and means for yieldably pressing the feed-roll shafts toward the platen.

j 18. In a paper feed mechanism the combination of a platen, a manually rockable cast- 90 rigidly held to said shaft. having vertically elongated shaft bearings therein, a rear feed roll shaft supported in saidshaft bearings,

independent forwardly extending arms pivotally held directly to the cast-olf shaft and located under and normally spaced from the rear roll shaft supporting arms, a front feed roll shafts, a pair of spaced feed rolls on each shaft, a pressure distributing member engaging both shafts intermediatethe rolls on said shafts, means on the carriage exerting a yielding pressure on said member intermediate the feed roll shafts, a releasing rock shaft, and independent connections between the rock shaft and the feed roll shafts for first. swinging one roll shaftabout the axis of the rock shaft and then swinging both roll.shafts in the same direction about the axis of the rock shaft.

20. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a platen rotat" ably mounted on the carriage, a plurality of sets of tandem feed roll shafts, feed rolls on said shafts, a plurality of levers extending transversely of the carriage and held thereto to rock about axes extending longitudinally of the carriage, independent springs for rocking said levers in one direction, and independent. means connecting each of said levers with a different set of tandem roll shafts for pressing the feed rolls against the platen.

for rocking said 21. In a ty ewritin'gjmachine, the combination of a p aten carriage, a platen rotat ably mounted on the carriage, a plurality of sets of tandem feed roll shafts, feed rolls on said shafts, a plurality of levers extending transversely of the carriage and held thereto to rock about axes extending'longitudinally of the carriage, independent springs levers in one direction, in dependent means connecting each of said levers with a different set of tandem roll shafts for pressing the feed rolls against the platen, and cast off means on the carriage connected with the feed roll shafts for cast-- ing off the tandem feed rolls successively.

22. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a platen rotatably mounted on the carriage, two pairs of tandem feed roll shafts arranged under the platen, side by side, feed rolls on the shafts, means on the carriage for exerting pressure on each of said shafts substantially midway the ends of the shafts, a cast-off rock shaft journalled on the carriage, independent supporting means for the tandem feed roll shafts directly connecting the roll shafts with the rock shaft to permit either roll to move away from the platen independently of movement of the rock shaft, and

means whereby the rocking of the rock shaft in one direction will first swing-both rear feedroll shafts about the axis of the rock shaft and then swing all of the feed roll shafts about the axis of the rock shaft.

23. In a paper feed mechanism, the combination of a platen, a sheet metal cast-0E shaft, means for rocking said shaft, integral rock arms on said shaft having their outer ends bent downwardly laterally and upwardly to form shaft bearings, a feed-roll shaft in said bearings, a roll on said feedroll shaft, and integral fingers on the rock shaft extending over said feed-roll shaft.

24. In a paperfeed bination of a platen, shaft, means for rock arms on said shaft having their outer ends bent downwardly laterally and upwardly to form shaft bearings, a feed-roll shaft in said bearings, roll shaft, integral fingers on the rock shaft extending over said feed-roll shaft, and integral fingers on said shaft bent into alignment with the endsof said feed-roll shaft.

This specification signed this seventeenth day of December A. D. 1918.

FRANK HURBERT annsrnone.

a sheet metal cast-off mechanism, the com-- a roll on said feed-.

rocking said shaft, integral 

